I’m happy today. Happy and exhausted. I didn’t sleep well last night; white winds rattled the windows of my friends’ house where I slept last night and I flipped back and forth on that very comfortable guest bed in the music room, adjusting pillows and blankets with every flip. Because today I had a meeting with Robyn Read to discuss the edits for The Cost of Weather. In attending her workshops last summer, I was aware that it wasn’t evident when she discussed query letters or first pages if she in fact, liked the work in question. She was very professional, giving suggestions and tips, but never giving away her personal take. She is enthusiastic, warm and welcoming, and she came highly recommended by two authors for whom she edited, but I wondered if I would go away from our meeting unsure whether she actually enjoyed reading my book.
Well, you will have already guessed from my opening, that she did indeed like my story of a good guy who can’t manage to stay connected with his daughter. She particularly liked most of my favorite bits. But what was the most thrilling was just to sit and discuss deeply this world I have been living in for over three years with someone who has read the whole thing, thinks it works, and totally gets it. I talk about the story, explain it, describe, and my good friend Sharon has listened to about a third of it read to her, but there has been no one up until now who has read the whole thing start to finish in its present form.
If you asked my friends they will confirm that I suspected I was going to have to write the thing all over again from start to finish. One acquiring editor at the Algonkian pitch conference suggested that I might do well to change the POV entirely. I really didn’t want to, especially since that’s what I did the first time around, but was interested to hear what Robyn had to say. Whew. She likes the first person POV, feels it works very well.
For the first time, after a meeting such as this, I don’t feel overwhelmed. I agreed with most of her suggestions and can see how easily they can be implemented. Since I’m about to begin a year-long process of getting the first draft of my memoir, Four Winters in India, done, I was a little anxious about trying to focus on two projects at once, but I’m fairly certain I can have these edits done in about a month.
There were a few surprises. Such as her sense that this book has commercial (read American/international) potential. I’m pumped and ready to roll up my sleeves and get to it. Funny, how even those aspects of the book I had struggled with, such a researching the technical aspects of the study of weather, suddenly seem simple.
This reminds me of something that Pat Schneider says, that if you go away from a teacher, course, or editor feeling that you want to write, (and that you can) then that encounter has been a success. So, by extension, if you feel small, overwhelmed, inept, stupid and the like, then it’s pretty clear that the facilitator of that meeting did not do their job well. Robyn did her job very well.
I heard on CBC radio today that the space between novice and amateur is very small; once you mastered the initial elements of a skill, you feel capable and expect that the space between novice and expert should perhaps be just as small. Unfortunately, the truth that the more you learn, the less you realize you know looms quickly, and all that initial confidence (and cockiness) goes down the tubes. Today, I experience a bit of respite from that awful sense that I will never finish this novel, that it has only been an exercise in which to learn how to write a novel.
I know there is still a long way to go, but I put my feet back on the path refreshed and encouraged.
I have to share this horoscope… it fits well with this post:LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Back in 1958, 17-year-old Bob Heft created a 50-star American flag for a high school project. Hawaii and Alaska were being considered for U.S. statehood at that time, and a new design was needed to replace the old 48-star flag. Heft’s teacher originally gave him a grade of B- for his work. But when his model was later selected to be the actual American flag, the teacher raised his grade to an A. I suspect that a similar progression is in store for you in the coming year, Leo. Some work you did that never received proper credit will finally be accorded the value it deserves.
Deepam, yoo da woman! You deserve this boost after all of your hard work. Go for the gusto and say ‘Hello’ for me to Stephen King when you meet him.
Hey Dave, thanks so much. You have something even more tangible to celebrate, I understand…?
Enjoy this great stepping stone to publishing. You are in sync and all is well with the world. But not only am I impressed with your accomplishments with this book, I’m impressed that you have another fabulous project to work on 2012 – and I’m impressed that you have friends that have music rooms.
That last one made me laugh, Mary. They have a massive old piano, about ten guitars, a sax, a violin, a ukelele and so on… lovely room with a stained glass door of an elegant peacock.
I am so incredibly proud of you Deepam and your amazing ability to stick with things. How wonderful to have your work validated by such an awesome Editor!
The best is yet to come…
Thanks so much for the encouragement, Elizabeth. It’s good to feel back on track.
Hi Deepam:
Just finished the first 20 Chapters (the revised ones) and am about to start on the other (older) half. I’m definitely going to have some perspectives for you from the POV of someone who’s been through something similar. I just finished my own set of revisions on my novel and sent them off to Robyn, so I’ve got a bit more time for reading at the moment.
Glad working with Robyn worked out for you. I think I learn more from her revisions than I’ve ever learnt from any single book, workshop or lecture, plus, the book gets a kick in the pants too. It’s all good. Keep at it.
Best
Phil
Thanks, Phil. I was so pleased with the meeting and the feedback and Robyn herself. She is wonderful. Thank you for the recommendation. I have no doubts now that she was the right choice.
The Cost of Weather (great title by the way) will be for certain a commercial success because it sits so close to the skin for so many. You’re writing something that needs to be said, and something seldom said to boot. I’m so happy that Robyn gave you some kudos and motivation to inspire you to keep going with this the way it was written. Your writing is beautiful.
I’ll be at your book signing of both The Cost of Weather and Four Winters in India!
Let’s have a double launch! Something for everyone. Thanks, Noelle. It means a lot coming from you.